The United States government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to pass a 2026 budget before the midnight deadline.
Lawmakers from both parties said the shutdown is expected to be short, with the House of Representatives likely to vote early next week on a Senate-backed agreement aimed at restoring funding.
Budget negotiations broke down after Senate Democrats refused to approve additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), insisting that new oversight measures must be introduced before more money is released for immigration enforcement.
The standoff intensified following the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents, an incident that has sparked fresh outrage and deepened political divisions over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Senator Dick Durbin accused the administration of prioritising protesters over criminals, arguing that enforcement resources were being misdirected.
“Instead of going after drug smugglers, child predators, and human traffickers, the Trump Administration is wasting valuable resources targeting peaceful protestors in Chicago and Minneapolis,” Durbin wrote in a social media post.
He added that the approach was making the country less safe.
With the shutdown now in effect, about three-quarters of federal government operations are expected to be impacted. Agencies responsible for education, health, housing and defence began implementing shutdown preparations overnight.
Officials say the effects may remain limited if funding is restored within a few days. However, if the shutdown drags on, tens of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or required to work without pay until Congress approves a new spending plan.
Late Friday, the Senate passed a package that cleared five outstanding funding bills to keep most federal agencies running through September. The deal also included a two-week stopgap measure to keep DHS funded temporarily while lawmakers continue negotiations over immigration enforcement policy.
The House, however, was not in session when the deadline passed and is scheduled to return on Monday. If lawmakers approve the Senate’s proposal, government funding could be restored within days.
President Donald Trump has endorsed the Senate plan and urged Congress to act quickly to end the shutdown.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the government without delay,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, the Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies late Friday to prepare for what it described as an “orderly shutdown,” expressing hope that the disruption would be brief.
